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NBA

It's Time for You to Believe in Magic

Posted May 31, 2009 9:50AM By David Whitley (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Lakers, Magic

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Orlando Magic
ORLANDO -- Forget what you're going to hear from your bookie or read in the next issue of Kobe Illustrated. The Magic can win the NBA title.

Just ask Dwight Howard.

"We can beat up," he said.

Speaking of beat up, also ask LeBron James.

On second thought, don't bother. He had approximately as many words as clutch plays Saturday night. James was showered and on the bus before the last piece of confetti fluttered down from the Amway Arena ceiling.

The King is dead.

Next up, the Kobe?

Wouldn't that rock his world? By world, I mean the beautiful people, groupies, Spike Lee, flyover media and Nike marketers who can't fathom the Hollywood boys losing to a team coached by Stan Van Panic.

The same crowd was comparing LeBron's last-second shot in Game 2 of the Orlando series to the Apollo 11 lunar landing. It was sure the Magic would crawl back into the Florida swamp and we could commence with the Kobe-LeBron fireworks.

"Other than Charles Barkley, I don't think many people thought we could win," Van Gundy said.

We all know how Barkley will say anything, but he's discovered the Magic's secret. The grimmer things appear, the better they react.

"I've been telling you guys that all year," Howard said.

We just didn't listen because Orlando isn't among the NBA's chosen. So much attention is lavished on Kobe and LeBron it's easy to forget there is basketball life elsewhere on the planet.

Speaking of which, Amway Arena set an unofficial world record for Chosen Ones Saturday night. LeBron, Tiger Woods and Tim Tebow were all in the house. If the roof collapsed, the NBA, PGA and BCS would have had to immediately declare bankruptcy.

The unspeakable disaster didn't happen. Unless you were a Cavs fans and could read what James was saying between his non-lines:

Anyone want to buy a 35,000 square-foot house outside Cleveland?

James has no excuse for ducking out after the game. As for his actual performance, how many games must one man score 40-plus points and make every meaningful play?

Every game, if you're James.

"You need more than just one or two guys," Rashard Lewis said.

James would love what Orlando has. A well-constructed if unorthodox team. You aren't supposed to depend on 3-pointers to win, but the Magic have a potent pick-your-poison attack.

Concentrate on the middle, and the gunners can kill you. Cleveland decided it would try to double-team Howard.

"If we didn't do that Dwight probably would have averaged 80 this series," Mo Williams said.

He settled for 40 Saturday night. Cleveland actually tried a variety of defenses hoping to confuse Howard if nothing else.

"Eight times out of 10, if not more, he made the right play," Mike Brown said.

Latest NBA Playoff Photos

    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic hugs Orlando Magic owner Richard DeVos on the court after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers of the Orlando Magic in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwight Howard;Richard DeVos

    Getty Images

    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Mo Williams #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts after being defeated by the Orlando Magic in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mo Williams

    Getty Images

    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Professional golfer Tiger Woods attends Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tiger Woods

    Getty Images

    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Rafer Alston #1 of the Orlando Magic brings the ball up court against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rafer Alston

    Getty Images

    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Recording artist Chris Brown attends Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chris Brown

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    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic reacts after a play late in the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwight Howard

    Getty Images

    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic reacts after a play late in the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwight Howard

    Getty Images

    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic celebrates on the court after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwight Howard

    Getty Images

    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Mickael Pietrus #20 of the Orlando Magic celebrates on the court after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mickael Pietrus

    Getty Images

    ORLANDO, FL - MAY 30: Head coach Stan Van Gundy of the Orlando Magic celebrates on the court after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Stan Van Gundy

    Getty Images


As brilliant as James was in (most of) the series, it was just as much a coming-out party for Howard. He's been criticized for smiling too much, fouling too often and not being able to do anything except dunk.

He's still no Jabbar down low, but woe to the team that covers him with one man. Especially now that he's actually making more than half his free throws.

How will the Lakers approach Orlando's outside-in game? Beats me, but Vegas made them six-point favorites in Game 1.

Then again, going into Saturday the Magic were 8-1 to win the NBA title. The Lakers were even money. Cleveland was 2-3, meaning the bookies thought people would still bet on the teams with the cutest Nike puppets.

The Lakers should be favored, especially if Lamar Odom doesn't go into his Wally Szczerbiak imitation. But the LA has shown it can be cocky and overconfident with the best of them.

Enter the Magic, who haven't been to an NBA Finals since Shaquille O'Neal weighed 320 pounds. Orlando just wasn't big enough for Shaq, who must be torn this morning.

Do you pull for the ex-teammate in L.A. you can't stand or the ex-coach you ran off in Miami? Seeing how he hasn't ripped Van Gundy in one of his rap songs yet, we'll assume O'Neal is going with the Magic.

If nothing else, he has to admire their resilience. They were supposed to be finished after Jameer Nelson went out with a shoulder injury in February.

Then they were down 2-1 to Philadelphia in the opening round. Howard got suspended for Game 6 on the road. The Magic won by 25.

They were left for dead after Game 5 in Boston. Remember Howard calling out Van Gundy, and every TV station in replaying O'Neal's diatribe about how Orlando 's coach is the Master of Panic?

Oh yeah, the Celtics were 32-0 when they held a 3-2 series lead.

"Everybody was down on us," Van Gundy said.

Then came 66-win Cleveland and his Highness. Williams was asked how James was handling things after the game. He compared LeBron's season to a kid wanting a remote-control car at Christmas.

"You open up a present and you open up another present, another present, and you never see that remote-control car," he said.

James opened the league's best record, he opened the MVP, he left a lot of mouths wide open with his playoff exploits. In the end, he was left sitting on a bus.

Look who was toying with the remote-control car.

"Our reward, especially mine and my coaching staff's, is you get to go from preparing for LeBron to preparing for Kobe ," Van Gundy said.

I'd feel sorry for him, but perhaps it's time to start listening to Howard. Forget whether the Magic will be ready for Kobe & Co.

Will they be ready for the Magic?

Tags: dwight+howard, DwightHoward, lebron+james, LebronJames, rashard+lewis, RashardLewis, stan+van+gundy, StanVanGundy

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